


Mai

by kuonji



Series: The Ocean Is Not My Home [5]
Category: Free!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family, Future Fic, Kid Fic, Lifetime Event, M/M, Merpeople
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-03-31 17:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13979694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuonji/pseuds/kuonji
Summary: Makoto looked at the device between them with dismay, and Haru shifted in discomfort as well. He didn't want that contraption near his partner's delicate parts, he decided. "When humans need to collect sperm, they use a cup," he told them.





	Mai

"Haru! Haru, come here, quick!"

Haru leaped down the stairs at his partner's shout, flinging his shirt off as he went. At the edge of the covered pool that had taken over half of the ground floor, he turned a well-practiced forward flip to get out of his pants and dove in. His firm rule of no underwear while in the house served him well.

 _What's wrong? What is it?_ , he broadcasted as soon as he touched the water. He caught a glimpse of Makoto's tear-stained face before he changed and swam swiftly to him, readying a dozen change triggers in his head, from blood-clotting to temperature control to breathing assistance. _Mom's still at the market. She can be here in twenty minutes--_

"No, no, nothing's wrong! I'm sorry for worrying you. Listen." Finally recognizing Makoto's tone as happy, Haru calmed his pounding heart and wrapped himself around his partner and the tiny bundle he held. From above the water, he heard Makoto's gentle voice. "Mai-chan. One more time, okay? Can you do it? Come on, now, for Dad this time. Dad."

 _Dad!_ repeated a warbling, fuzzy voice. The word was awash in emotions, the meaning of the word just barely discernable amid waves of curious delight. A second _Dad!_ came through a little more clearly.

Stunned, Haru stared at the face of the little girl in Makoto's arms. Her light blue eyes sparkled, and the slit irises pinned small and large again in excitement like a bird's. She smiled wide enough for her blunt nursing teeth to show and opened her chubby arms. Readily in response, Haru took his newly verbal daughter in his arms. She twined the tip of her tail around his forearm. Reflex, his parents had explained to them, but it melted his heart every time just the same.

 _Hello, Mai_ , he said, as he always did, both unable and unwilling to succumb to the baby talk that Makoto and all their parents and friends seemed prone to.

The answer this time was the usual jigsaw of impressions that was the equivalent of baby babble in humans, little wavelets that said _proud_ and _amused_ and _familiar_ and _swim_. She wriggled and twisted free, though her uncoordinated thrashings didn't manage to propel her in any one direction. She waved her baby fingers, the wide webbing between them catching the water, but without control, that only caused her to turn jerky somersaults in place. Haru would have let her continue to tumble in circles, but Makoto, still unnecessarily mindful of land gravity, caught her by the rough skin of her scaled forearms and righted her.

Mai didn't seem to mind. Hanging between Makoto's arms, she blasted them both with _happy_ and _swim_ and then a string of _Papa Dad Papa Dad Papa Dad_ and then a wave of _anticipation_ \-- _curious_ \-- _amusement_.

Makoto rewarded her immediately. He hugged her to him, pressing their cheeks together, prompting her to explode in loud squeals and waves of _fun_ \-- _happy_ \-- _good_. Her Papa let go of her and looked her in the eyes as he signed, _I'm so proud of you!_

 _Hungry_ , Mai obligingly signed back.

Haru smirked as Makoto's face fell slightly. _I'll get her bottle_ , he said.

***

"She has your chin, I'm sure of it," Mother said, tickling said chin, then startling when Mai let out a series of squeaks. "Is that a happy sound or...?"

"Yeah, it's okay. She's laughing." As soon as he finished signing the words, Makoto copied his mom, tickling Mai under the chin. She thrashed her tail, causing Mother to gasp and readjust her grip several times.

"She's so strong already! She's only two weeks old yesterday, you said?" Makoto signed her side of the conversation as well, partly out of habit from interpreting for his students and partly to help Mai learn the language. He'd already been deliberately teaching her simple modified signs that she might want to use, such as 'hungry' and 'sleepy' and 'hurt' and 'cold'.

"Haru's mom said she'll be able to swim on her own at two months, and probably talk before that."

"Goodness."

"You can let her go," Haru interjected, watching Mai wriggle. Everyone looked shocked at the suggestion, and Haru sighed internally. It wasn't as if she could get to anywhere dangerous. In the pool, she couldn't drift away or get bitten or stung by anything passing by. "Here." Haru took her, wincing at the loud blasts of _moving_ \-- _excited_ \-- _familiar_ that no one else present could hear. He couldn't wait for her to start learning to control her 'voice'. He let Mai go, prompting five gasps and then bemused silence as the baby flapped her limbs around, drifting first in one direction, then another. He pushed her gently so that she floated toward Father.

"Haru, she's not a bath toy," Makoto chided, not signing this time.

Father picked up his granddaughter and cooed at her.

"Keep her in the water, Dad," Makoto cautioned, when the tall man started to lift her to his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He hesitated for a moment, then ducked underwater and blew bubbles against her chest instead, prompting more squeaks.

"Me, next! Me, next!" Ran clamored for a turn, and then her brother started in as well. Despite being college seniors now, when together, they were as loud and combative as always. Mai, attracted by the noise, reached out toward them. "See? She wants me."

"How do you know she's not asking for me?" Ren demanded.

"I see Mai-chan is popular." Haru's Mom came in with an assortment of fruits and snacks on a floating tray which she set gently on the water before slipping in herself.

"Thank you, Auntie," Ran and Ren chorused politely, breaking off their squabbling.

"You're welcome. And how are your studies going?"

While they were engaged in conversation, Father bounced Mai up and down. "It's still so hard to believe, but I can tell she's really both of yours. Even this young, it's pretty obvious."

Haru shot Makoto a questioning look. Makoto looked radiantly in agreement with his dad. Haru gave him a skeptical look. Makoto returned an indulgent, teasing smile. Haru huffed.

"It's a good thing you two -- or, I suppose the science team -- was successful. I'm not sure I could approve of buying a baby like a pet puppy."

"We wouldn't have, Dad, but even if we had, it wouldn't be anything underhanded. They just don't do things the way we do. Anyway, we should be glad that they don't, or else Mai wouldn't be with us."

Mai, watching avidly, copied the sign for her name, a dancing _ma_ , though she used her whole hand instead of just the three fingers.

"That's right, Mai-chan, that's you! What a smart baby!" Mother gushed in a high-pitched voice, clapping her hands. Mai, surprising everyone, poked her hands out of the water to clap as well.

"She's already learning the difference between air and water," Haru's Mom observed with a proud tone of voice.

"She could be a genius!" Ren exclaimed. "She could win the Nobel prize one day."

"You don't know that. She could grow up to be an athlete like Haru and Big Brother," Ran said, probably just to be contrary.

"Why can't she do both?"

"Don't be silly. That's way too hard."

"You can play with her underwater if you like," Haru told them, heading off a possible ensuing argument. "She likes to be carried around." Not able to swim by herself yet, Mai loved nothing better than to be moved through the water -- and that as fast as possible. "Just remember to hold her by her torso, not by her hands. Her arms aren't strong enough yet. You don't want to dislocate them."

The twins looked aghast at the possibility and nodded obediently.

Haru had maybe exaggerated the danger a little, but it didn't hurt to be careful.

"Can she breathe out of the water?" Mother asked, while her two younger children swam off with their baby niece.

"For short periods," Haru replied. "But too much time in dry air might cause her lungs to develop improperly. I'd rather not risk it."

"Oh dear, of course not. When will she turn human?"

"She doesn't really turn into a human, Mom," Makoto corrected her gently. "But she should be able to change into her human form at around eighteen months, and able to maintain it for longer periods of time at two years old."

"Yes, Haru wasn't able to reliably stay human while in the water until he was three," Haru's Mom revealed. He scowled at her, but only half-heartedly. Despite the occasional embarrassment, his Mom's experience with raising a fish person baby in the human world was invaluable.

"That's a long time. Won't she be lonely in this pool?" Father asked.

"We can start taking her out of the water at six months. Her lungs and skin will be able to handle it by then."

"If we dress her up, we could probably take her outside without attracting too much attention," Haru added. As long as they wrapped her up to hide her tail and covered her eyes and hands, she could pass as a human baby. The combination of sunglasses and mittens may seem strange, but they could always use his parent's old excuse for him of allergies or rashes.

Mother nodded approvingly. "It would be good for her to get some fresh air and sunshine." She looked up at the central skylight and the daylighting ports that directed sunlight through the ceiling. "Well, some outdoor sunshine, anyway."

Makoto nodded eagerly. "Oh, I agree. In the meantime, we'll take her to visit the ocean when we can. And we'll have visitors to give her stimulation." Makoto looked toward the twins as if in illustration, then jerked up straight before calling out, "Ran! Ren! What are you doing?" The twins were swimming underwater and passing Mai back and forth like a beach ball. Mai, despite her Papa's protests, looked to be enjoying herself, and Haru could sense only positive emotions from her.

"It's all right," he said, nudging Makoto. "Look how happy she is."

Ran and Ren swam up to them, pulling up their goggles and catching their breaths. "Sorry," they said, handing Mai back. Mai squealed and flapped her tail, splashing water into her aunt and uncle's faces. They shouted and splashed back, which of course had no effect on Mai underwater but managed to catch their brother right in the face.

"Oops!"

"Uh-oh!"

Stunned for only a moment, Makoto swiftly splashed them back. A few grapes may have rolled into the water in the ensuing battle, but everyone had a good time. Mai squealed and clapped her hands at her exciting, loud family.

***

Makoto paced nervously on the edge of the water. The weak moonlight caught the edges of his large footprints in the damp sand before they filled back up. "It's too windy," he muttered. "She'll be uncomfortable. What if she cries? What if someone comes for a night swim?"

Suppressing his irritation, Haru grabbed Makoto's wrist on his next pass. _Calm down! Someone's more likely to come if you're making a fuss._

Looking abashed, Makoto signed, _You're right. I'm sorry._

 _It's okay. I'm nervous, too_ , Haru signed back. He wasn't as smooth as Makoto and his vocabulary when speaking was more limited, but his comprehension had become quite good through practicing with his partner. Often, signing to each other was easier than explaining the one-sided conversations they'd used to have.

One of Makoto's first students after they'd come back to Iwatobi had been deaf, and Makoto had enrolled in a sign language course as a result. Soon after, he'd found himself taking on other deaf or partially deaf students, their parents bringing them from surprisingly far away to meet the kind and gentle Coach Tachibana, who talked and joked with the children, encouraging them to teach him how to 'talk better' while in turn teaching them to love the water.

Remembering his own experiences, Makoto had guided his students to make friends with each other as well, helping to set up contact lists and social media groups for them to interact, and even forming the first ITSCR relay team with backstroke and butterfly swum by two deaf children. They hadn't placed in competition, coming in seventh in their league, but they'd made the local news. Coach Sasabe had proudly hung their picture on the wall alongside all the other Swim Club athletes lining the hallway.

Soon, students with other communication disabilities had started trickling in as well, and then students with other difficulties -- physical disabilities, injuries, developmental issues, trauma... Makoto's willingness to go out of his way to accommodate students with differing skill sets made him a favorite for all. He had turned away the majority of students at first, reminding them vociferously of his lack of qualifications, but eventually he'd had to give in, arming himself with knowledge from books and correspondence with more experienced people in the field and, as always, listening with an open heart to his students and their parents.

Haru was proud of his partner and glad that so many more people could now appreciate Makoto's gifts, his generous nature, his empathy, his patience, his quiet strength in the face of adversity and challenge. A nice side effect was that he and Makoto could now talk underwater -- or when they wished to be quiet, like now.

A tingling in the waves swirling around his ankles alerted him, and he put his hand in the water to listen. "They're almost here," he said quietly.

Makoto seemed to vibrate where he stood next to him. Several minutes later, Haru's Mom came out of the water, wearing a swimsuit and holding what looked like a heavy covered basket. His Dad came out after her with two bags slung over his shoulders, which Haru took. They'd prepared all the human things his Mom would need back at the house, and over the past week, he'd moved most of the baby's things as well. This was only the last of his Mom's personal items and things that were necessary for Mai to travel with.

"Good evening," his Mom greeted them, and handed the basket over. Even Haru, who was normally able to keep his emotions in check, couldn't help his eagerness as Makoto set it on the beach and opened it.

Mai was curled on her side, asleep. At one week old, her tail had only just straightened out. "Hello, Mai," he said softly, putting his hand in to touch her round cheek. She stirred slightly but didn't wake. Haru could sense a soporific in the water, probably a good idea. He trusted his Mom's skill in tuning the effect for an infant.

"Welcome to Iwatobi, Mai-chan," Makoto said, sounding awed. He didn't touch the water, but he did stroke the edge of the basket. This was only the second time he'd seen her, Haru reminded himself. Whatever excitement and wonder Haru was feeling must be multiplied many times over for his partner.

"Let's get her home," his Mom said, looking around, alert for any humans about.

"I'll visit," his Dad promised. He touched his cheek to his wife's, making Haru raise his eyebrows. Either age or looking after his granddaughter must have softened his Dad. He nodded to Haru and Makoto and touched their shoulders briefly, and then he returned to the ocean. 

Makoto put a jacket over Haru's Mom's bare shoulders, blushing and dipping his head apologetically. "I'm so sorry for the trouble, Mother." She would be taking turns with Haru to sleep in the pool with Mai, and she would be on hand for any trouble that might come up.

Grandparents weren't usually involved in raising fish people babies, but they had all agreed that this would be necessary. Besides, Haru's grandmother had helped raise him, and his parents had lived as humans for twelve years. He was pretty certain that they had a different perspective from most of their peers who had never left the ocean or met a human.

Haru's Mom touched Makoto's cheek. "Don't be silly, Makoto-kun. I'm happy to be here."

***

Haru checked the placing of the net over Makoto's head one more time before taking a calming breath. "Ready?" he asked, unnecessarily. Makoto was nodding before the word was fully out of his mouth.

He took Makoto's hand, clasping the impressions knot between them. He concentrated, and suddenly, collections of sounds and sights ghosted at the edges of his senses. Flipping through them with his thumb on the strands, he settled on the one he wanted and opened it up.

The room was small and warm, with enforced latticed walls that kept out all foreign objects and slowed the ocean currents to near stillness. The light was dimmed to the lowest setting. He saw himself, hovering anxiously over the bed. His Mom was beside him. _I think it'll be soon_ , he heard, sensing his Dad's excitement and nervousness, second-hand and from the future.

Back in the present, Haru gripped Makoto's wrist firmly and relayed what he could of the impression to his partner.

Makoto gasped. "Oh... Haru. I can feel everything. Oh my gosh, he's so nervous. Is that really your dad? He looks so stoic all the time." Makoto let out a nervous laugh. "What's happening?" he asked.

Haru described the room as best he could. "She'll wake up in a moment," he said, having watched this before.

Through his dad's recording, he heard -- and Makoto heard, through him -- Mai's sleepy and raw complaints. _Tired_ \-- _bored_ \-- _impatient_. They surged to a crescendo as she woke fully and resumed scrabbling at the break in the covering over her. After a minute, interspersed with brief rests, she finally widened it enough for her to break through. _Triumph_ \-- _curious_ \-- _confused_.

Haru saw himself touch Mai for the first time, and her newborn eyes focused on him.

 _Hello, Mai_ , he said to her.

"I signed it, too," Haru noted to Makoto. He'd wanted her to learn to 'hear' Makoto right from the start. Makoto squeezed his hand in thanks.

Haru held his daughter for the first time.

 _Familiar_ \-- _curious_ \-- _happy_ \-- _free_ \-- _cold_ \-- _hungry_. She wriggled, her strength surprising him as he had trouble holding on.

 _Is this normal?_ they heard Haru ask his parents, sounding rather plaintive and annoyed. Makoto laughed and nudged Haru's shoulder teasingly.

Back in the past, his parents both expressed amusement as well. His Mom took Mai and greeted her, and then the perspective shifted to his Mom's while his Dad held Mai. Though she wouldn't be able to swim properly for a while yet, she thrashed around and became increasingly demanding to try to move on her own.

"She's going to be just like you," Makoto said, chuckling.

Haru scowled, though a tiny feeling of pride filled him, too. "We'll see."

What was missing from the impression was the hours of waiting, punctuated by brief seconds of movement while Mai struggled her way free. They had opted for a natural hatching, feeling that Mai should have the chance to break herself out of the egg on her own. Watching the process had been at the same time immensely dull and breathtakingly exciting. Two hours in, anxious and bored, Haru had begun to regret their choice -- but he had been glad for it by the end. The final moment when Mai emerged into the open water for the first time on her own power had made it all worth it.

***

 _If only I could talk properly_ , Makoto fretted for perhaps the millionth time in their relationship. _You should be with her, not babysitting me._ His hands were quick and sharp. Haru could only read them with difficulty in the dimmed glow of his change-lighted arms.

 _Mom and Dad are fine with it_ , he soothed, trying to infuse his speech with comfort and patience. _I think they've gotten quite attached to her, actually._

 _I still don't see them. Has something happened?_

_We don't see them because we got here an hour early!_ Haru understood that Makoto had wanted to make sure that their daughter was out of her nursery for as little time as possible, and since it was difficult to pinpoint arrival times for ocean travel, arriving early had been the practical thing to do. Still, he couldn't fully suppress his irritation from his thoughts. He felt immediately sorry when Makoto ducked his head guiltily. _People travel with eggs half her age all the time_ , Haru reminded him more gently.

Regardless, Makoto's forehead creased in worry. _Tell them again, if they see anything out of place, they should go back, okay? I don't care about bonding with her if it'll hurt her. Tell them, Haru._

Haru did no such thing. Instead, he sent a brief message: _Makoto is freaking out. How far away are you?_

_No more than ten minutes. Keep talking to him. Be kind, Haruka. You've seen Mai-chan for months. This is his first time._

Sighing internally, Haru informed his partner of his parents' ETA. _Everything's fine, Makoto. It's important for you to bond with her. You can't even see our impressions._

 _I have the sketches you make. Haru, it's okay. I can't even feel her the way you all can_ , he said, using the modified two-handed sign, combining 'hear' and 'feel', that they used to mean the way fish people heard each other speak. _It'll be completely pointless._

Haru kissed his partner's wrist and then put his hand around the bracelet there. _Not pointless. Trust me._

When his Mom and Dad finally arrived, Makoto was nearly vibrating with nerves. He bowed formally, despite not having done that for years, and then blushed and 'stammered' an apology, his hands losing all flexibility.

While Haru's Mom comforted Makoto, Haru took the carrier from his Dad. It was a simple but effective device. He and Makoto had looked over different designs, with his parents' input, but they were basically all similar. About two-thirds the size of a human baby carrier, it was a spherical shell with handles, weighted on the bottom. Inside, there were securing straps, and it was padded on all sides, permeable to the water but not to solids larger than grains of sand. Once Haru put his hands on it, he could probe inside for an 'image' of the contents.

Mai was quiet. Good. The trip must have been easy on her. He gestured Makoto over. His partner's green eyes were wide in the half-light. He put his hands where Haru directed and they opened the carrier together.

Behind his goggles, it was difficult to tell, but Haru thought from the way Makoto's eyes tightened that he was crying. He covered his mouth and breathed in hitched whimpers. Haru hugged Makoto's broad shoulders and kissed the side of his neck.

 _You can touch her_ , he told him. _Don't worry. The egg case can withstand percussive force and even minor punctures. You can't hurt her._

Hesitantly, Makoto reached out one hand and stroked the semi-flexible shell that protected their daughter from the harsher elements. The still tightly curled tail twitched and the tiny fists waved. Egg claws were beginning to form on the tips of her fingers. She would be hatching within the month.

Partly because he knew what Makoto was likely to say, and partly because he'd had practice, Haru read his partner's lips as he mouthed, _Hello, Mai-chan. I'm your Papa. I can't wait to meet you._ He put his other hand on the egg case as well and kissed the spot between his hands before pressing his ear to it. Haru knew from experience doing this himself that Makoto would be able to hear a muted echo like the inside of a conch shell.

Still in her egg-bound stupor, Mai was unable to emit vocalizations as of yet, but a week ago, she had started to leak some emotions. Over the past week, Haru had heard occasional soft flutters of rudimentary thoughts like _warm_ and _startled_ and _attention_. Makoto wouldn't be able to hear those, unfortunately.

However...

From a pocket on the outside of the carrier, Haru's Mom pulled out a stethoscope-like hearing instrument and showed Makoto how to use it. A moment later, Makoto had his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open in awe, listening to their daughter's rapid heartbeat.

When it was time to take Mai back to her nursery, Makoto kissed the egg case again and put his forehead to it. Haru wondered if he was trying to say something to his soon-to-be daughter. Reluctantly, they closed the carrier back up. Makoto accepted Haru's parents' brief, understanding touches before they left, and he stared after them longingly. Haru held his hand. _We'll see her soon, for real._

Makoto nodded, his eyes still focused far away.

***

"Assuming the weather holds, we can do the pour tomorrow," Mr. Matsumoto, the foreman, told Haru. "We'll finish up the first floor while it cures, and then come back for the second floor work next week."

Haru nodded, appreciating the man's straightforward attitude. They'd chosen Matsumoto for his lack of curiosity as much for his team's record. Being an Olympic swimmer and being in a permanent relationship with a man had meant that rumors around him never quite stopped. With this project, he was leaning heavily on his reputation as an eccentric.

When it was done, they would have an indoor pool with natural light piping, as well as a vented skylight and sliding doors that could convert it to a half-covered pool, open to the outside. The depth ran from shallow enough to sit up in to deep enough to dive. Special filters and controls allowed for saltwater and some plants and fish. For Haru, this was as close to bringing a piece of the ocean indoors as he could manage. He was looking forward to a private place to relax in that was bigger than their bathtub.

For Makoto, it would be a useful laboratory. He often spent hours at the Swimming Club, experimenting in the pool with ways to help his students, figuring out methods for swimming under different conditions, sometimes consulting Haru's feel for the water. Now, he would be able to do most of that at home.

With the wide walkways, the sliding doors, and second floor balcony overlooking the pool, this area would be a central part of their home. A shower and wardrobe in the corner meant they could change here. The faux stone absorbent polymer tiles that paved the area before the doorway to the living room meant they could even go into the house without stopping for a towel. And of course, it would be their nursery, until their future child could come onto land. 

In the meantime, Haru was already looking forward to sharing midnight swims and relaxing soaks with Makoto.

***

They received the news first as a message sent via Haru's Mom, then as a 'letter'. Haru went to the beach to collect the twist of shell-dust kelp that his mother had told him to watch for. He twined it around his finger and skimmed it quickly.

"What does it say?" Makoto asked.

"'Success!'" Haru read out loud, skipping the customary salutations and getting right to the heart of the message. He spoke softly enough that the sound of the waves covered his voice from a couple of meters away. "'Fertilization has been achieved. The resulting embryo is currently in its third week of growth and has been deemed viable and healthy. Congratulations. We will send you a translation of the final paper once it is published.' This is dated three days ago."

Makoto blew out a breath and massaged his temples. "Thank goodness. Haru, I really, really love you, but I don't think I could do that again anytime soon."

Silently, Haru agreed.

***

"We've modified it for human biology and for land level pressure."

Makoto looked at the device between them with dismay, and Haru shifted in discomfort as well. He didn't want that contraption near his partner's delicate parts, he decided. "When humans need to collect sperm, they use a cup," he told them.

"A cup?" As one, the gaggle of scientists and doctors crammed into their living room looked to the teacups on the table. "Oh, what a novel idea! Yes, I think we could do that, with the proper sterilization done."

While the fish people discussed, Makoto edged away from the sperm-collection vacuum. "I won't let anything happen to you," Haru assured him. "I like you with all your parts attached."

"Is that what they're going to use for you?" Makoto asked.

That hadn't occurred to Haru. He studied the device more closely, resisting the urge to shift nervously. "Probably. But it's how everyone does it, so I'm sure the technology is well developed."

"I hope so! I like you with all your parts attached, too."

Haru raised his eyebrows at his partner, reminding him, "When I'm in fish form, I don't actually--"

"Yes, this will do nicely," Dr. Sitha interrupted them. Haru had to mentally translate the phrase from English, a skill he had managed to gain only a little more proficiency in than when he'd been in high school. The chief medical officer of the team handed them a clear, bell-shaped, hollow object with an attached lid. It was about the size of a coffee mug and asymmetrically shaped, likely repurposed from one of the sets of equipment the scientists had left in the adjoining room. Dr. Sitha showed Haru how to open it. "Shall we get started then?"

"Give us a few minutes to get ready, please," Makoto told him, face reddening. He glanced at the 'cup' and then away, heading to the pool area with Haru following.

Once they were alone, albeit separated only by a sliding door, Makoto began removing his clothing. "Keep the shirt on," Haru suggested.

"That would be silly, don't you think?"

"If it makes you feel better, it's not silly."

Makoto didn't reply, but he kept his T-shirt on while he slid into the pool. Haru, stripping efficiently down to his swimsuit, sat down on the edge beside him.

"I'm ready!" Makoto called.

Haru's partner spent the next half hour in a state of obvious emotional torture, his hands over his burning face, as people in both fish and human forms swarmed around him, connecting and adjusting equipment, asking him questions, taking recordings, putting their hands and mouths on his skin, and making notes about it all. Every now and then, he yelped or jumped as changes were applied and adjusted. Despite the fish people's best efforts, the newness of their methods made it difficult to mitigate the side-effects. Makoto had described it before as feeling like electric shocks. Haru, seething silently, sat at the edge of the pool with his hands in Makoto's hair, the only place where he could be in contact without getting in anyone's way.

Finally, they disconnected all but two of the monitors, which one of the technicians showed them how to disconnect properly after they were done, and Haru could finally enter the water beside his partner. Makoto reached for his hand immediately. Dr. Rypla, the resident expert in human cooperative technologies, told them, _When you're ready, you may begin. Let us know if Mr. Makoto experiences any pain or unusual discomfort._

"Thank you," Makoto replied. "How long will it last?"

_Not long. Half an hour, forty-five minutes at most. We don't think it's healthy for your body to remain in this state for longer than an hour, and we wanted to be safe._

"Okay. We'd better, um, get started, then?"

 _Yes, we'll leave you alone with Mr. Haruka now._ He nodded at Haru, and he followed the rest of the group out, closing the door behind him.

"So..." Makoto turned a still flushed face to Haru.

Haru kissed him. "You were wonderful. I'm sorry you have to go through this."

"No, I want to. I mean, I want..."

"I know."

With a quick heave, Makoto pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the pool, careful to stay within the tether of the monitor lines. Haru took a moment to appreciate his partner's muscles in play. "Is this all right? It should be quick." He was already half-hard, the stimulation having probably made him over-sensitive.

"You have a lot of faith in me."

Makoto's eyes lidded, and Haru's skin tightened in anticipation. "Always."

Sliding between Makoto's long legs, Haru took his partner in hand, thrilling at the immediate groan that elicited. He loved it when his bashful, gentle partner let himself go like this. "All those people touching you, I hated it."

"Hmm, I could tell." Makoto tilted his head and smiled. Haru wanted to replace that amused expression with something else entirely.

Rubbing the tip of Makoto's erection with one lazy thumb, he deepened his voice as much as he could. "You were blushing so prettily, though."

"Haru..."

He kissed Makoto's stomach, over his wet shirt. "I want you to blush for me now. Only me."

"Yes..."

He used his mouth then, and Makoto's hips jerked. Whimpering, Makoto shifted his weight to one side, lifting one hand to cover his mouth. It was only partially effectual, as moans and gasps continued to escape him. It reminded Haru of when they still lived in Tokyo, when Makoto would try to smother his sounds so the neighbors wouldn't hear. The devilish part of Haru always felt especially triumphant when he made Makoto cry out in spite of his precautions.

Water all around him, Makoto in his mouth and in his hands, those lovely sounds coming from his partner... Haru felt himself responding as well, but he ignored it. This was for Makoto. This was for his beautiful, brave partner who was putting himself through this for them.

"Ahh, ahhhh, oh-- Oh, Haru. I-- The cup."

One-handed, Haru fumbled for the object. He ran a bit of energy through it in the right way, popping a hole in the top, then removed his mouth and held the opening over Makoto's tip. "Okay, Makoto. Come for me now."

Gasping, Makoto did.

"Good boy," Haru said, resealing the container. He ducked his head so that Makoto's retaliatory swipe didn't land as hard as it should have.

Groaning, Makoto laid back on the pool side. "That wasn't as enjoyable as usual."

Climbing out of the pool, Haru kissed his supine partner on the lips. "Do you want me to bring it out to them?"

"Yes, please. I don't think I can face any of them again today."

Smiling indulgently, Haru nuzzled Makoto's blushing cheek before taking the cup out to the eagerly waiting group.

He could tell immediately that there was a problem. The scientists gave each other questioning and worried looks. Finally, Dr. Eiroryo, the reproductive sciences expert, asked in her thankfully fluent Japanese, "Is this a normal amount of sperm for a healthy human male?"

Haru didn't have anything to compare except himself, but he thought it was a fair amount. He nodded. Their worried looks deepened.

"But he said earlier that humans produce sperm every day," one assistant reminded everyone. "Does that mean Mr. Makoto could make this amount again every day?"

Haru was getting a bad feeling about this. "Yes," he answered.

The scientists conferred with each other, and finally Dr. Eiroryo spoke up. "We must recheck all our measurements, and we must be careful to keep the samples apart in case of incorrect calibration in one of the changes. This will take longer than we expected," she pronounced, "but we can adapt." Everyone looked relieved.

"How much do you need?" Haru asked, feeling himself stiffen in suspicion.

A minute later, he returned to the pool to break the news to his partner. Makoto was just coming out of the shower. His welcoming smile slipped at Haru's grim expression. "What's wrong?"

Haru told him.

"Are you sure they're real scientists? This sounds like the setup to a bad porn film."

Haru used his silence to answer for him. Makoto sighed.

"We'd better bring a futon in here. I can't believe this is happening."

Haru smirked as he put a hand on his partner's wet chest and slid it down his front. "We have to do this, Makoto. It's for science."

Despite his blithe pronouncement, both of them were soon exhausted by the process. Makoto was so tired that even his embarrassment dulled. By the end of the first week, he didn't bother to keep his shirt on anymore, merely closing his eyes. Haru, too, gradually migrated from fury, to tolerance, to merely impatience, while he waited for the process to finish.

On the last day, after the group of scientists had at long last achieved the collection goals they'd drawn up, Haru walked them out and closed the door on them decisively. When he returned to their temporary bed, Makoto hadn't moved a millimeter. He lay down next to Makoto and threw his arm over his partner's broad, bare chest. Makoto finally stirred.

"Do you think it will work?" he asked.

Haru hugged him, one-armed. "If it doesn't, it won't be for lack of trying on our part."

***

Haru barely resisted slamming the door behind him. Makoto came in from the living room as he was kicking off his shoes. "My Dad's going on again about tradition and duties," he complained.

"Is this about the hybrids again?" Makoto asked, patting his back.

"Yeah."

"If it's that important to your family, why don't we just adopt a purebred? Uncle-- I mean, Father said that he can get us one that's bred from good lines."

"I don't want to adopt a random egg, no matter how well bred."

"As long as he's happy, I really don't care what it looks like or how smart it is or whatever."

"I don't care if _he's_ happy. It should be _our_ choice."

Makoto sighed. "Haru, we all know my choice has nothing to do with any of this, right? I can't even get to one of the stores where you buy them or read your catalogs. Just... you choose, and I'm sure I'll love it just the same."

Haru hissed in frustration. "You'd still have to help raise it. And anyway, like I told my Dad, I'm not interested unless it could be both of ours."

"It _would_ be both of ours. That's what adoption means." Makoto gave him an indulgent smile that just set Haru's teeth on edge. His partner was too kind.

"Not genetically."

"What do you mean?"

"Just because no one's tried a male-male hybrid in our country yet doesn't mean it can't be done. Dad insists it'll cost too much money and be too much trouble with dubious results, but he won't even help me research it. How can I determine if it's viable or not if I can't get to the information? We shouldn't rush into this just because my Dad is suddenly in a hurry for the Nanase family to have a next generation."

Makoto, who had been nodding along, suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute. Haru, what exactly is a hybrid?"

"Any human-fish person with mixed DNA is technically a hybrid, but the only one I'm interested in is a 50-50 mix between you and me."

"Mixed... Are you talking about a _baby_?"

Haru stared, coming out of his rant-induced tunnel vision. "Yes. I thought you knew."

"How could I possibly know that?" Makoto's green eyes were wide and unblinking, and his mouth was literally gaping.

"You and my Dad were having a whole conversation about hybrids last time."

"I thought it was some kind of pet." All the color drained out of Makoto's face, so suddenly that Haru was afraid he might faint. " _Haru!_ " he cried in apparent horror. "I was asking Uncle things like how big a tank we would need, and how often we would need to change the water."

Haru nodded. Those were sensible questions.

"Your father thinks I wanted to raise our baby in a fish tank!"

"That's probably not the worst idea, at least until it hatches. If human babies slept in terrariums, they'd have fewer accidents."

"Until it-- No, it's a _horrible_ idea! You have to explain to your dad that this was a misunderstanding."

"I will... but I don't think it matters."

"I was talking about his grandchild like an animal. Of course it matters, Haru!"

Haru shrugged. "All right, I'll talk to him. But then he'll just go on again about how we should get one soon."

Makoto sat down abruptly, right there in the foyer. "A baby. He wants us to have a baby?"

Haru sat down next to him. His partner's shell-shocked expression was blending into a wondering one. Out of habit, he took Makoto's wrist, encircling the bracelet even though the new speech receiver meant he didn't need to do that anymore. _Are you all right with the general idea?_

"Of raising a baby together?"

 _Of making a baby together_ , Haru corrected. _And raising it, of course._

"Well, I mean, I haven't thought about it before. Not really. But... yes? I think I'd like that." Slowly, a smile spread across Makoto's face. Haru felt a weight leave his chest. Makoto's ambivalent answers, bordering on careless, had worried him. He was glad that misunderstanding had been dispelled.

"I'd like it, too," he said, just so they were clear.

Makoto kissed him. He curled his hand over Haru's bracelet as he asked, excitedly, "Is it really possible?"

"We'll have to find out."

  
END.

**Author's Note:**

> 舞 _mai_ : dance
> 
> * * *
> 
> If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:  
> [Running](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13723086) (Free!), by kuonji  
> [The Rabbit And The Moon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/250852) (Cardcaptor Sakura), by kuonji  
> [The Ordinary Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/944367) (Free!), by Ad_Astra  
> [i thee wed](http://archiveofourown.org/works/960252) (Free!), by sauntering_down  
> [Lesson 46/ Deaf Hearing Blind/ Japanese Sign Language video 日本の手話](https://youtu.be/922OzgsbQfQ) (YouTube tutorial), by jslvideodayo


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